South Alabama offensive lineman Melvin Meggs (77) takes a break as the clock winds down in the second half of a Sun Belt Conference football game against Florida International Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. (Mike Kittrell/mkittrell@al.com)

OFFENSE

As with each phase of play by the Jags in this game, there is good news and bad news. The good news is total yards (458). That's the most by the Jags all season. They moved the football with 270 passing yards and 188 rushing yards. But inside the red zone, although they were 3-of-4, they scored just one touchdown, that coming on the first possession. They had a lull in the second half when the door was ajar to re-take the momentum, possibly the lead.

GRADE: C

DEFENSE

Again, there's the tale of two halves. In the first half, the defense allowed 28 unanswered points by FIU, which was effective running the ball and throwing it. In the second half, the Jags were stingy and aggressive, refusing to allow FIU to score and giving the ball back to the offense. The two halves cancel each other out.

GRADE: C

SPECIAL TEAMS

It could be argued this group had been the most consistent and effective on the team a couple of games back, but Saturday it struggled. Scott Garber averaged just 35.5 yards a punt and after breaking the school record for consecutive made field goals, Michel Chapuseaux missed on a 23-yarder. T.J. Glover had a good punt return but the kickoff coverage team allowed a 32-yard return. Again, good news, bad news.

GRADE: C

COACHING

The warnings were there from the first day of practice for FIU: this team is better than its record. The coaches preached it every day and talked to the team throughout the week about finishing. It became a motto. The Jags didn't finish, allowed FIU to have a big start and found out the Golden Panthers, picked in preseason to win the league, were pretty talented. Having to use second-half timeouts too early hurt in the late-going. There was a good plan in place, but execution of the plan faltered at times.

GRADE: C

OVERALL

As previously mentioned, this was a game in which the Jags played well one moment and struggled the next in each phase of play. This was a game the Jags could have won, but didn't. It was a game they needed to win, but didn't. Dropped passes, false start penalties on the 1 yard line, fumbles, missed opportunities. All those things came into play as well as a best total yards day of the season and the longest pass play in school history.